Battery operated rotary toothbrush



May 8, 1962 J. J. BARCKLEY BATTERY OPERATED ROTARY TOOTHBRUSH Filed March 5, 1961 INVENTOR J. J. BARCKLEY FIG. 4

United States Patent nice 3,933,197 Patented May 8, 1962 3,033,197 BATTERY OPERATED ROTARY TOOTHBRUSH Johnney Jules Barekley, 6466 Whitaker Ave., Van Nuys, Calif. Filed Mar. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 93,185 7 Claims. (Q1. 128-62) This invention relates to personal hygiene including the care of the teeth and the gums as well as the avoidance of obnoxious breath and to equipment by which the cleaning of the teeth and the massaging of the gums in a manner to maintain them in proper condition can be readily accomplished.

The invention relates particularly to a battery driven rotary toothbrush and an applicator of a nature and configuration that it can be applied in a manner to fit about the teeth and contact the gums for the cleaning and massaging thereof by the rotating brush.

Much emphasis has been placed on the proper maintenance of the teeth and gums including frequent cleaning of the teeth with the removal of food particles and the massaging of the gums in order to maintain them in proper condition, and various types of devices have been produced for the cleaning of the teeth and the massaging of the gums, but with these devices not fully satisfactory for various reasons including limitations of use, unsuitability for both the cleaning and removal of particles from between the teeth and the massaging of the gums, while other devices intended for such multiple uses have been too drastic, expensive, difficult to use and unsanitary.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toothbrush of relatively simple and inexpensive construction, compact, which can be used wherever and whenever desired, for removing particles from between and brushing the surfaces of the teeth, and simultaneously treating or massaging the gums and with such devices susceptible of modification and change to suit the needs of a particular individual including varying degrees of softness of the teeth and gums of the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a driven, a rotary, toothbrush, including an applicator head having a relatively soft portion of a configuration to fit over and against the teeth and gums, with an additional rotary portion with or without bristles in contact with the teeth to insure maximum although gentle treatment and which head can be readily removed and replaced for the application and use of a different head, and which bristles can be replaced by bristles of a different hardness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary toothbrush contained in the bulbous portion of a hollow elongated applicator, with an open portion through which the bristles may be applied to the teeth and within such open portion is located a relatively soft yieldable member having movable flaps with rounded portions to fit against and about the teeth and due to the softness of such por tions the contact with the teeth will be gentle and without injury either to the enamel of the teeth or to the applicator, and such applicator will prevent the splashing of fluid and tooth paste onto the clothing and the person providing in effect a general container.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective with parts broken away illustrating one application of the invention;

FIG. 2, an end elevation;

FIG. 3, a fragmentary side elevation; and

FIG. 4, a transverse section through the applicator head.

Briefly stated, the invention is a battery operated toothbrush including a two-part housing of plastic or other material having an external surface which can be readily gripped and held, which housing has two compartments with dry cell battery means in one utilized to drive a motor contained in the adjoining compartment and with an axial opening and the housing having a threaded sleeve to which is connected a hollow elongated applicator with a generally oval bulbous extremity having an opening in its side with a relatively soft flexible member therein having opposed rounded portions for ready conformity to the teeth and within such bulbous portion is located bristles or other tooth cleaning elements mounted on a shaft located in such hollow elongated applicator, and having a connection with the motor shaft in a manner to be driven thereby, whereby the massaging action may be imparted to the gums while the teeth are being brushed, the energizing of the motor being subject to a control on the housing.

With continued reference to the drawing, the present invention includes a handle forming housing of generally cylindrical sections 10 and 11 having interfitting and overlapping portions 12 and 13, with the interfitting portion -12 provided with a separable transverse insulating disk or the like 14 and with the remote end of the portion 10 provided with a boss or enlargement 15 through which a threaded fastener 16 extends into engagement with a threaded extension 17 on the transverse portion 14 and by means of which the two generally cylindrical sections which form the housing are held together.

Along the length of the sections 10 and 11 is an elongated hollow enlargement 18 with a switch button 19 carried by a contact arm 20 having bosses 21 for engagement with the poles of dry cell batteries 22 with the circuit completed through a motor 23 contained in the adjoining compartment of the housing and on which motor is a contact 24 which is engaged by a contact 25 when the button 19 attached to it is depressed.

The upper end of the housing is provided with an opening 26 and an externally threaded sleeve portion 27 outwardly through which the externally threaded end of the motor shaft 28 projects, an annular gasket 29 being disposed between the shaft 28 and the sleeve 27 to provide a seal about the shaft 28 at such point.

A hollow applicator is provided including a sleeve 30 having internal threads 31 which complementarily engage the externally threaded portion 27 of the housing. The outer end of the hollow applicator 30 is provided with an elongated bulbous portion 32 and with an open side 33 (FIGS. 3-4), which opening provides access between the interior and exterior of the bulbous portion of the applicator.

Within the bulbous portion of the applicator is mounted an internally threaded brush 34, on an extension shaft 35, having an internally threaded end 36, in engagement with the threaded end of the shaft 23. Within the oval opening 33 in the bulbous portion 32 of the applicator is mounted a soft fitting 37 having opposed rounded portions 38 adapted to separate or move apart and fit about the teeth and in contact with the gums for the massaging of the latter. The margin of the relatively soft member 37 is provided with an enlargement 39 which fits into a recess 40 and by means of which construction the relatively soft member may be replaced.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the present invention is an effective device for the cleaning of the teeth and the massaging of the gums without cords or other restricting connections, which can be driven by a reversible motor, and still it is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction which can be readily produced and used satisfactory for the purpose indicated. Also due to the softness of the teeth and gum engaging portion and the gentle action of the same, the use of the device will be harmless and most welcomed.

Further, the device is particularly useful for cleaning artificial teeth by using merely the motor driven rotary brush without the hollow applicator.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specificatiom'but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A battery operated rotary toothbrush comprising an elongated housing of two generally cylindrical sections with complementary telescopic portions which sections combine to form the housing with compartments and a groove about the housing for facilitating the holding of the latter in the hand, one of said generally cylindrical sections having a transverse portion with an axial opening therein, a bolt extending axially through such portion and the end of the other generally cylindrical section of the housing for securing the parts thereof together, one end of the housing having a flanged opening, a motor in said housing and having a shaft extending through said flanged opening, a hollow elongated applicator having at one end means for attachment to said flanged opening, said hollow elongated applicator having at its other end an elongated bulbous portion with an opening in one side affording access between the exterior and interior thereof, a brush within such bulbous portion, a shaft mounting said brush and connected to be driven from said motor, a relatively soft applicator mounted on said bulbous portion in said opening and having opposed rounded portions adapted to separate and fit about the teeth and against the gums, and switch means for controlling the supply of energy to said motor.

2. A battery operated rotary toothbrush comprising an elongated housing of two generally cylindrical sections, one of said generally cylindrical sections having a transverse portion with an axial opening therein, a bolt extending axially through such portion and the end of the other generally cylindrical section of the housing for securing the parts thereof together, one end of the housing having a flanged opening, a motor in said housing and having a shaft extending through said flanged opening, a hollow elongated applicator having at one end means for attachment to said flanged opening, said hollow elongated applicator having at itsother end an elongated bulbous portion with an opening in one side affording access between the exterior and interior thereof, a brush within such bulbous portion, a shaft mounting said brush and connected to be driven from said motor, a relatively soft applicator mounted on said bulbous portion in said opening and having opposed rounded portions adapted to separate and fit about the teeth and against the gums.

3. The combination of a housing defining a handle, a

hollow elongated applicator carried by said housing and having at its remote end an elongated bulbous portion with an opening in one side affording access into the same, a soft flexible member mounted in said opening and having opposed rounded portions adapted to separate and fit about the teeth and engage the gums in use, a brush within the bulbous portion of said housing, an extension shaft mounting and driving said brush, a motor in said housing and having a connection with said extension shaft for driving said bristles, said housing having space within same for battery means for energizing said motor.

4. The combination of a housing defining a handle, a

hollow elongated applicator carried by said housing and having at its remote end an elongated bulbous portion with an opening in one side affording access into the same, a soft flexible member mounted in said opening and hav ing opposed rounded portions adapted to fit about the teeth and engage the gums in use, a brush within the bulbous portion of said housing, an extension shaft mounting and driving said brush, a motor in said housing and having a connection with said extension shaft for driving said bristles, said housing having space within same for battery means for energizing said motor.

5. A battery operated rotary toothbrush comprising a housing for a motor and a battery by which said motor may be driven, a motor within said housing, a shaft extending from said housing and constructed to receive a brush thereon for the cleaning of both natural and artificial teeth, an applicator connected to said housing for disposition about said shaft and brush and having an opening through which said brush may be presented to the teeth, and a relatively soft, resilient tooth and gum engaging member mounted on said applicator in said opening and disposed within said opening and having inwardly projecting opposed portions adapted when presented to the teeth to move apart to accommodate the teeth and to engage the gums.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said tooth and gum engaging member is an independent element.

7. In a toothbrush, the combination with a shaft and a brush of a relatively soft covering for said brush having opposed inwardly projecting spaced portions constructed to move apart to expose said brush and to engage the gums in a manner that when the brush is moved in cleaning the teeththe gums will be massaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,792,188 Robey Feb. 10, 1931 2,662,238 Robey Dec. 15, 1953 2,662,239 Grover Dec. 15, 1953 2,946,072 Filler July 26, 1960 

